


His Father's Eyes

by LydiaLanguish



Series: Love Letters [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Good Draco Malfoy, M/M, One-Sided Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 08:28:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18311936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LydiaLanguish/pseuds/LydiaLanguish
Summary: Draco is the Potions Master at Hogwarts, and his seeing his lost love's child isn't as easy as he'd hoped it would be.





	His Father's Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> This is a piece of another fic, but from Draco's perspective. Can be read as a standalone, or as part of the other piece.

Draco becoming the Potions master at Hogwarts had been something of an impulse. He’d been directionless after the war, and was looking for something to keep his mind busy. Pansy told him it wasn’t healthy to lurk in his cellar obsessively working on repairing old magical objects, and with his skill and his having a favor to cash from Professor McGonagall, he thought that the least he could do was ask, and as it turned out, she was hard-pressed to find someone to fill the role. 

 

He started on at the age of thirty two, and was fairly good at his job. He worked hard to make sure the students understood the potential of the craft while trying to keep their potential as wizards. Some days it was harder than others, especially with a name like Malfoy.

 

It was odd, having lived through what was later considered history. Every student who’d read books on the second war knew of Draco Malfoy, the boy who’d denied Voldemort to join Dumbledore. Some students had asked him to sign books, which he’d kindly refused, but he was adjusting, slowly but surely. 

 

Professor McGonagall was constantly trying to encourage him to be social with the other teachers, assuring him that he could take a night off and out of the dungeons every once in a while, so he complied by taking walks around the grounds to pick himself some fresh flowers. 

 

And in the summer, he’d return to Malfoy manor and resume his hobby of repairing magical objects and perfect potions recipes he hadn’t quite been able to get right. 

 

His third year as a teacher, he’d been caught a little off guard by a James Potter being called to be sorted. 

 

...That’s right, Potter’s eldest was of age, it made sense to assume he’d be teaching the child. 

 

James Sirius Potter was sorted into Gryffindor, and was set to attend Draco’s class. 

 

For months, Draco forced himself to disregard anything to do with Harry Potter. After all, he’d decided to be a fair, helpful and kind teacher to all his students, and James certainly was no exception. He’d be lying if he said that he’d treated James the same he treated the others, but he’d hoped the difference to go undetected. He never looked at James for long, and if he did, he never looked him in the eyes. 

 

His face was so like his mother’s, with the same expressions, same features and freckles. His hair was brown, unlike either of his parents, and his grin was Harry’s. 

 

It hadn’t hurt for years, Harry’s marrying Ginny. Draco was fine with it, happy for them both. After all, it’s what Harry had wanted, and they were blissfully happy. But whenever James grinned at him, proudly announcing he’d gotten the potion right, it felt bittersweet. 

 

Draco did that for years, and when Albus and Lily Potter came to school, it was the same for them. Don’t look at them for long, never look them in the eye. Neither of the younger Potter siblings seemed to care too much, but James had an affinity for potions, something Draco refused to stifle. 

 

After teaching all three children for so long, they stopped being Harry’s kids, and just turned into students. It felt like Draco was finally doing right by them. 

 

“Oh, Professor Malfoy?” James asked one afternoon after class as the other students trickled out of the potions room. “I  _ do _ have a question about this brew.” He stood, thrusting his book into Draco’s arms. “If I attempted to make one- which I didn’t, but okay, I  _ didn’t _ make a polyjuice potion, but if I  _ did _ , and wanted to use it, how long would it last?”

  
“Well, they typically last anywhere ranging from…” Draco leaned back in his chair, taking a deep breath. “Ten minutes to, say, twelve hours? Why?”    
  
“No reason!” James grinned, staring down at Draco. 

  
...He told himself to never look at them long, never look into their eyes. They weren’t even ‘Harry’s kids’ anymore, but…

 

“What?” James blinked. 

 

“Nothing,” Draco admonished himself. “It’s just… You have your father’s eyes.”

 

“I know,” James said casually, rolling his eyes even as Draco tried to look anywhere else. He thought he’d escaped that intrusive gaze all those years ago. “I’m just lucky I didn’t get the scar. ...Are you alright, professor?” 

 

“Yes, fine,” Draco answered, forcing a smile. “I don’t know  _ what _ you intend to do with that potion, but considering I’m your potions master and not your headmaster, so long as it’s brewed correctly, I’m sure it won’t trouble me to let it go. Here,” He handed James’ book back to the boy. 

 

“Thanks, professor Malfoy!” James grinned, turning and hurrying out of the room, his robe trailing behind him. “You’re the best!” He called over his shoulder before disappearing. 

 

...It had been years, Draco hadn’t even thought about Harry in so long, but…

 

_ He had his father’s eyes. _


End file.
